At least two national LGBT organizations have issued releases condemning the July shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile—Black men who were recently shot by police in, respectively, Louisiana and Minnesota.
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said in a statement, "We are horrified and profoundly saddened by the recent murders of two Black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, at the hands of police in Baton Rouge and near Minneapolis. In less than 48 hours, these two men became the latest victims of an epidemic of brutality that continues to plague our nation, joining a tragic list of 123 Black men fatally shot by police officers in 2016 alone.
"On a Sunday morning less than a month ago, the nation awoke to news of a tragic mass shooting that stole the lives of 49 LGBTQ people and our allies—almost all of them Latinx. That same afternoon, the NAACP stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us to speak out against the hate violence that has targeted our inextricably-woven communities. The LGBTQ community is as diverse as the fabric of our nation. We are African Americans, Latinx, women, Christians, Jews and Muslims—and so many more identities—and we must stand together against violence that targets any portion of our community. Today, as we grieve and mourn, we are also united in demanding solutions to stop the tragic epidemic of police-involved deaths."
Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven also spoke on the deaths, saying, in part, "We are heartbroken and outraged that again—twice in two days—police have shot and killed Black men. We don't know all the facts in either case, but driving with a broken tail light or selling CDs in front of a store are not punishable by death.
"LGBT people, especially LGBT people of color, know too well that police can discriminate, harass, and profile us when they should be protecting us. As a parent, watching Alton Sterling's 15-year-old son sob as he comprehends that he will never see his father again broke my heart.
"As we have done throughout our long history, Lambda Legal will continue to stand up against misconduct by police and other government officials. We will work with our sister LGBT and other civil rights organizations to demand that police are properly protecting and serving all the public, including LGBT people and people living with HIV."
